Image-reproducing apparatus and image-reproducing method

ABSTRACT

An optical member  7  is bonded, at its rear side  7   b , to a holographic stereogram  6 . The front side  7   a  of the optical member  7  consists of parallel triangular prisms. Illumination light  9  is applied to the front surface  7   a  of the optical member  7  at a predetermined angle of, for example, 60°. The optical member  7  is made of, for example, optical glass or transparent plastic. Each triangular prism has an incidence surface  8 , to which the illumination light is applied at right angles. The illumination light is applied to the interface  22  between the optical member  7  and the holographic stereogram  6 , at an incidence angle θ of, for example, 60°, thereby to suppress surface reflection of the illumination light  9  at the interface  22.

This is a Continuation application of Ser. No. 10/699,701, filed Nov. 4,2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,903,852, which is a Divisional application ofSer. No. 09/906,672, filed on Jul. 18, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No.6,738,170, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reproducinga 2- or 3-dimensional image from a hologram or a holographic stereogramon which two- or three-dimensional image data is recorded.

2. Description of the Related Art

A holographic stereogram is prepared by recording a number ofrectangular or dot-shaped element holograms on one hologram-recordingmedium. The element holograms are original images that have beenobtained by photographing an object, sequentially from different pointsof observation.

A holographic stereogram containing parallax data concerning only thehorizontal direction, for example, is prepared as is illustrated inFIG. 1. First, an object 100 is photographed from different observationpoints that lie in the same horizontal plane. A number of originalimages 101 a–101 e of the object 100 are thereby obtained. Then, theoriginal images 101 a–101 e, which are rectangular element holograms,are sequentially recorded on a hologram-recording medium 102.

The holographic stereogram records image data representing rectangularelement holograms that have been obtained by photographing an object,sequentially from different observation points that lie in the samehorizontal plane. When an observer looks at the holographic stereogram,the two 2-dimensional images his left eye and right eye receive,respectively, are different a little. The observer therefore perceivesparallax and sees a 3-dimensional image.

An ordinary hologram is spaced from an illumination light source for.reproducing a 3-dimensional image. A large space is required toreproduce the 3-dimensional image. To reproduce the 3-dimensional imagein optimal conditions, the hologram and the light source need to have aparticular positional relationship. This holds true of a holographicstereogram that consists of a plurality of element holograms.

If the hologram and the illumination light source are combined, no spaceis required for illumination. This helps to reduce the size of theapparatus for reproducing 3-dimensional images. In addition, a3-dimensional image can always be reproduced in the best possibleconditions because the hologram and the illumination light source have afixed positional relation. A 3-dimensional image may be reproduced insuch conditions from a so-called “edge-lit hologram.” A recording mediumbonded to a transparent light-introducing block is used to reproduce a3-dimensional image from an edge-lit hologram.

A transmitting hologram of edge-lit type, from which a 3-dimensionalimage can be reproduced, is prepared as is illustrated in FIG. 2. To bemore specific, a hologram-recording medium 111 is bonded to one surface110 a of a transparent light-introducing block 110. Thelight-introducing block 110 is made of transparent material such asglass or plastic and has an appropriate thickness. In most cases, themedium 111 is bonded with index-matching liquid (not shown) to thelight-introducing block 110. This prevents total reflection at thesurface 110 a of the block 110. Body light 114 from an object 113 isapplied from the opposing surface 110 b of the light-introducing block110 to the hologram-recording medium 111. Reference light 115 issimultaneously applied from one end 110 c of the block 110 tohologram-recording medium 111. A transmitting hologram of edge-lit typeis thereby prepared.

To reproduce an image from the transmitting hologram of edge-lit type,thus prepared, the hologram-recording medium is bonded to alight-introducing block made of, for example, glass. More precisely, asshown in FIG. 3, a hologram 121 is bonded with index-matching liquid(not shown) to one surface 120 a of a light-introducing block 120.Image-reproducing light 123 is applied from one end 120 b of the block120 to the hologram 121. The hologram 121 diffracts the light passingthrough it. The light 124 diffracted forms a reproduced image 125, whichis observed by an observer 126.

As shown in FIG. 3, the image-reproducing light 123 is incident on theone end 120 b of the block 120 at angle of 60°. Since the light 123 isthus applied to the hologram 121 through the light-introducing block120, it is possible to prevent surface reflection at the interfacebetween the hologram 121 and air. The larger the angle of incidence, themore readily the surface reflection can be prevented. In view of this itis considered that a compact apparatus can reproduce an image from theedge-lit hologram.

The hologram 121 and the light-introducing block 120 are bonded as shownin FIG. 3. The resultant unit is inevitably large, which is inconvenientin view of transportation and storage.

As pointed out above, the image-reproducing light 123 is incident on theone end 120 b of the block 120 at angle of 60°. The hologram 121 mayhave a length L of 30 mm and the one surface 120 a of the block 120 mayhave a length that is at least nearly equal to the length L. In thiscase, the light-introducing block 120 needs to be at least 17.3 mmthick.

A number of edge-lit holograms are therefore inconvenient in view oftransportation and storage. This is because, each edge-lit hologram isbonded to a light-introducing block that is 17.3 mm thick. That is, eachedge-lit hologram must be transported and stored, together with such along block.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing. An objectof the invention is to provide an image-reproducing apparatus that issmaller and lighter than the conventional apparatus that uses alight-introducing block to reproduce an image from an edge-lit hologram.The apparatus can therefore be easy to transport and store. Theinvention can provide an image-reproducing method, too, which uses nolight-introducing blocks to reproduce images.

To achieve the object, an image-reproducing apparatus according to theinvention comprises a hologram or a holographic stereogram and anoptical member bonded, at its rear surface, to the hologram orholographic stereogram. The optical member has parallel prisms on thefront surface. Illumination light is applied to the front surface of theoptical member. The illumination light interferes with light diffractedwhile travelling through the hologram or holographic stereogram. Animage is thereby reproduced from the hologram or holographic stereogramthat records a 2- or 3-dimensional image. Each prism has an incidencesurface, to which the illumination light is applied at right angles.

In the image-reproducing apparatus, the illumination light is applied toan interface between the optical member and the hologram or holographicstereogram, at a fixed incidence angle falling within a specific range,thereby to suppress surface reflection of the illumination light at theinterface. More precisely, the fixed incidence angle ranges from 60° to85°, with respect to a normal to the interface.

In the image-reproducing apparatus, the hologram or holographicstereogram and the optical member bonded thereto may be bent, forming ahollow cylinder, the inner surface of which is defined by the frontsurface of the optical member. In this case, the illumination light isapplied to an inner surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby reproducinga 2- or 3-dimensional image from the hologram or holographic stereogram.Thus, the apparatus can reproduce an image from a hollow cylindricalhologram of edge-lit type.

In the image-reproducing apparatus, the illumination light is applied toan interface between the optical member and the hologram or holographicstereogram, at a fixed incidence angle falling within a specific range,thereby to suppress surface reflection of the illumination light at theinterface. More precisely, the fixed incidence angle ranges from 60° to85°, with respect to a normal to the interface.

In the image-reproducing apparatus, the hologram or holographicstereogram and the optical member bonded thereto may be bent, forming ahollow cylinder, the inner surface of which is defined by the frontsurface of the optical member. In this case, the illumination light isapplied to an inner surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby reproducinga 2- or 3-dimensional image from the hologram or holographic stereogram.Thus, the apparatus can reproduce an image from a hollow cylindricalhologram of an edge-lit type.

An image-reproducing apparatus according to the invention comprises ahologram or a holographic stereogram and an optical member. The opticalmember has parallel prisms on a part of a front surface and is bonded atthe rear surface to the hologram or holographic stereogram. Illuminationlight is applied to the parallel prisms. After passing through theoptical member, the illumination light interferes with light diffractedwhile traveling through the hologram or holographic stereogram. An imageis thereby reproduced from the hologram or holographic stereogram thatrecords a 2- or 3-dimensional image.

The optical member may have a wave-guiding section for guiding theillumination light from the parallel prisms, while reflecting theillumination light. To increase the contrast of the image, thelight-guiding section may be tinted black at an outer surface.

In this image-reproducing apparatus, too, the hologram or holographicstereogram and the optical member bonded thereto may be bent, forming ahollow cylinder, the inner surface of which is defined by the frontsurface of the optical member. The illumination light is applied to aninner surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby reproducing a 2- or3-dimensional image from the hologram or holographic stereogram.

In the image-reproducing apparatus, the angle at which the illuminationlight is applied to the prisms may be fixed or changed.

To attain the object described above, an image-reproducing method ofthis invention is designed to reproduce an image from a hologram or aholographic stereogram, which records either 2-dimensional image data or3-dimensional image data. In the method, an optical member havingparallel prisms on a front surface is bonded at the rear surface to thehologram or holographic stereogram. Illumination light is applied to thefront surface of the optical member. An image is thereby reproduced fromthe hologram or holographic stereogram that records a 2- or3-dimensional image. The optical member has a plurality of incidencesurfaces on the front surface, and the illumination light is applied atright angles to the incidence surfaces of the optical member.

In the image-reproducing method, the illumination light may be appliedto an interface between the optical member and the hologram orholographic stereogram, at a fixed incidence angle falling within aspecific range, thereby to suppress surface reflection of theillumination light at the interface. The hologram or holographicstereogram and the optical member bonded thereto may be bent, forming ahollow cylinder, the inner surface of which is defined by the frontsurface of the optical member. In this case, the illumination light isapplied to an inner surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby reproducinga 2- or 3-dimensional image from the hologram or holographic stereogram.

In the image-reproducing method, the illumination light may be appliedto an interface between the optical member and the hologram orholographic stereogram, at different incidence angles falling within aspecific range, thereby to suppress surface reflection of theillumination light at the interface. In this case, too, the hologram orholographic stereogram and the optical member bonded thereto may bebent, forming a hollow cylinder, the inner surface of which is definedby the front surface of the optical member. The illumination light isapplied to an inner surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby reproducinga 2- or 3-dimensional image from the hologram or holographic stereogram.

In an image-reproducing method according to the invention, an opticalmember having parallel prisms on a part of a front surface is bonded atthe rear surface to the hologram or holographic stereogram. Illuminationlight is applied to the parallel prisms. After passing through theoptical member, the illumination light interferes with light diffractedwhile travelling through the hologram or holographic stereogram. Animage is thereby reproduced from the hologram or holographic stereogramthat records a 2- or 3-dimensional image.

The optical member may have a light-guiding section for guiding theillumination light from the parallel prisms, while reflecting theillumination light. To increase the contrast of the image, thelight-guiding section may be tinted black at an outer surface.

In this method, too, the hologram or holographic stereogram and theoptical member bonded thereto may be bent, forming a hollow cylinder,the inner surface of which is defined by the front surface of theoptical member. The illumination light is applied to an inner surface ofthe hollow cylinder, thereby reproducing a 2- or 3-dimensional imagefrom the hologram or holographic stereogram.

In this image-reproducing apparatus, the angle at which the illuminationlight is applied to the prisms may be fixed or changed.

The present invention can provide an image-reproducing apparatus that issmaller and lighter than the conventional apparatus that uses alight-introducing block to reproduce an image from an edge-lit hologram.The apparatus can therefore be easy to transport and store. Theinvention can provide an image-reproducing method, too, which uses nolight-introducing blocks to reproduce images. The apparatus and methodof the invention can not only utilize the illumination light emittedfrom a light source, in the best possible manner, but also reproduce animage even if illumination light beams are applied at different anglesto the different parts of the hologram. Moreover, the present inventioncan provide a hollow cylindrical hologram of edge-lit type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining a method of preparing a holographicstereogram, which is the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining the method of preparing a transmittinghologram of edge-lit type;

FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining a method of reproducing an image from theedge-lit hologram;

FIG. 4 illustrates an image-reproducing apparatus that is the firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a magnified view of the optical member that is a component ofthe image-reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a system for preparing a holographic stereogram;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating the optical systemincorporated in a holographic stereogram printer;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrates how to prepare a transmittingholographic stereogram of edge-lit type;

FIG. 9 is a diagram explaining how a hollow cylindrical hologram of anedge-lit type, which is the second embodiment of the invention, isprepared;

FIG. 10 shows the structure of the apparatus that is the secondembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing how the prisms of the optical member aredesigned in the first embodiment, in accordance with the manner ofapplying illumination light to the optical member;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing how the prisms of the optical member aredesigned in the third embodiment, in accordance with the manner ofapplying illumination light to the optical member;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the image-reproducing apparatus according tothe fifth embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 14 is a diagram explaining how the fifth embodiment operates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Several embodiments of the present invention will be described, withreference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is not limited tothe embodiments described below, nonetheless. Various changes andmodifications can be made within the scope and spirit of the presentinvention.

The first embodiment is an image-reproducing apparatus 5 shown in FIG.4. The apparatus 5 is designed to reproduce a holographic stereogramrecording 3-dimensional imaged data. As FIG. 4 shows, the apparatuscomprises the holographic stereogram 6 and an optical member 7. Theoptical member 7 has a front side 7 a and a rear side 7 b opposing thefront side 7 a. The front side 7 a consists of parallel triangularprisms, each having an incidence surface 8 and an inclined surface 23.The optical member 7 is bonded at its rear surface 7 b to theholographic stereogram 6. Illumination light 9 is applied to the frontsurface 7 a of the optical member 7 at a predetermined angle of, forexample, 60°.

The optical member 7 is made of, for example, optical glass, plastic orthe like. The optical member 7 has a plurality of incidence surfaces 8on the front side 7 a. Each incidence surface 8 receives theillumination light 9 applied to it in the direction perpendicular to it.As FIG. 5 shows, the illumination light 9 is applied to the interface 22between the holographic stereogram 6 and the optical member 7 at apredetermined incidence angle θ. The incidence angle θ is, for example,60°, so that surface reflection can be prevented at the interface 22.

The incidence angle θ is one defined between the interface 22 and thenormal H thereto. The angle between the surface 23 that each paralleltriangular prism on the front side 7 a of the optical member 7 defineswith respect to the interface 22 is 60°, like the above-mentionedincidence angle. If the illumination light 9 applied from the lightsource (not shown) consists of parallel beams, it is applied to theincidence surfaces 8 at 90°. This effectively suppresses surfacereflection at the incidence surfaces 8. From the angle at which theillumination light is applied to the optical member 7 it is known thatthe incidence angle θ should fall within the range of 60° to 85°.

The shorter the pitch p of the triangular prism of the optical member 7,the better. Generally, it is sufficient to set the pitch p at 0.5 mm orless. In the present embodiment, the pitch p is 100 μm. Thus, theincidence surfaces 8 are arranged on the front side 7 a of the opticalmember 7, at intervals of 100 μm. The optical member 7 has a thickness dof 100 μm. It is thick enough to impart an adequate stiffness to theholographic stereogram 6. If supported firmly by the optical member, theholographic stereogram 6 can have desired optical properties.

In the image-reproducing apparatus 5 thus constructed, the illuminationlight 9 applied to the interface 22 at the angle θ, through theincidence surfaces 8, is diffracted as it passes through the holographicstereogram 6. The light 20 thus diffracted forms a reproduced image,which an observer 21 may see.

The image-reproducing apparatus 5 is smaller and lighter than theconventional apparatus having a light-introducing block and designed toreproduce a holographic stereogram of edge-lit type. It can therefore bemore easily transported and stored.

A system for preparing a holographic stereogram to be reproduced by theimage-reproducing apparatus 5 that is the first embodiment of theinvention will be described. The system records a plurality ofrectangular element holograms on one recording medium, thereby toprepare a holographic stereogram that contains horizontal parallax data.Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a system thatrecords dot-shaped element holograms on a recording medium, thereby toprepare a holographic stereogram that contains both horizontal parallaxdata and vertical parallax data.

The system is designed to prepare so-called “one-step holographicstereograms,” each being a hologram-recording medium on which thepattern formed by interference between the body light and the referencelight is recorded. As shown in FIG. 6, the system comprises adata-processing section 1, a control computer 2 and a holographicstereogram printer 3. The section 1 processes the data to be recorded onthe hologram-recording medium. The control computer 2 controls the othercomponents of the system. The printer 3 has an optical system forpreparing holographic stereograms.

The data-processing section 1 has an image-processing computer 11, astorage device 12, a photographing device 13, and a data-generatingcomputer 14. The photographing device 13 incorporates a multi-lenscamera or a mobile camera. It provides image data items D1, eachcontaining parallax data. The data-generating computer 14 generatesimage data items D2, each containing the parallax data. A train ofparallax images D3 is generated from the image data items D1 and theimage data items D2.

The image data items D1 supplied from the photographing device 13, eachcontaining parallax data, represent the images of an object that themulti-lens camera has photographed at the same time, or the images ofthe object that the mobile camera has photographed at different timesfrom different observation points.

The image data items D2 generated by the computer 14, each containingparallax data, represent the CAD (Computer Aided Design) images, CG(Computer Graphics) images or the like, which have horizontal parallaxwith respect to each other.

In the data-processing section 1, the image-processing computer 11processes the parallax images D3, generating image data D4. The imagedata D4 is recorded in the storage device 12. The storage device 12 is amemory, a hard disc drive, or the like.

The image data D4 is read from the storage device 12, image by image.The data D4 thus read is supplied, as image data D5, from thedata-processing section 1 to the control computer 2. The image data D5will be recorded on a hologram-recording medium.

The control computer 2 drives the holographic stereogram printer 3. Theprinter 3 records the images represented by the data D5 supplied fromthe data-processing section 1. More precisely, the printer 3 records thedata D5 on a hologram-recording medium 30, in the form of rectangularelement holograms.

The control computer 2 controls the shutter 32, display 41 andmedium-feeding mechanism 50, all incorporated in the holographicstereogram printer 3. More specifically, the computer 2 supplies acontrol signal S1 to the shutter 32, thus opening or closing the shutter32. It supplies the image data D5 to the display 41, which displays theimage represented by the data D5. It supplies a control signal S2 to themedium-feeding mechanism 50, which feeds the hologram-recording medium30 to a specific position. At this position, the data D5 is recorded onthe hologram-recording medium 30.

The holographic stereogram printer 3 will be described in detail, withreference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIG. 7A is a plan view of the opticalsystem incorporated in the holographic stereogram printer 3. FIG. 7B isa side view of the section of the optical system, which processes thebody light.

As FIG. 7A shows, the holographic stereogram printer 3 comprises a laser31, a shutter 32, and a half mirror 33. The laser 31 emits a laser beamL1. The shutter 32 and the half mirror 33 are arranged on the opticalaxis of the laser beam L1. The laser beam L1 has wavelength of about 532nm.

The shutter 32 is controlled by the control computer 2. It remainsclosed when the hologram-recording medium 30 need not be exposed tolight at all. It is opened to apply light to the medium 30. The halfmirror 33 receives the laser beam L2 that has passed through the shutter32. The half mirror 33 splits the laser beam 2 into reference light L3and body light L4. The reference light L3 is a part of the beam L2,which the half mirror 33 reflects. The body light L4 is the remainingpart of the beam L2, which passes through the half mirror 33.

The holographic stereogram printer 3 further comprises a cylindricallens 34, a collimator lens 35, and a total reflection mirror 36. Thelenses 34 and 35 and the mirror 36 are arranged on the optical axis ofthe reference light L3, in the order they are mentioned. They constitutean optical system for processing the reference light L3. The collimatorlens 35 converts the reference light L3 to parallel light. The mirror 36reflects all parallel light applied from the collimator lens 35.

The cylindrical lens 34 causes the reference light L3 reflected by thehalf mirror 33 to diverge. The collimator lens 35 changes the referencelight L3 to parallel light. The total reflection mirror 36 reflects allparallel light, which is applied to the hologram-recording medium 30.The medium 30 is bonded with index-matching liquid (not shown) to alight-introducing block 37 that is made of transparent glass. Thereference light L3 is applied to the medium 30 through thelight-introducing block 37.

That is, the reference light L3 is applied to one side 37 a of the block37, passes through the block 37 and is applied to the medium 30 at alarge incidence angle.

The holographic stereogram printer 3 further comprises a totalreflection mirror 38, a spatial filter 39, a collimator lens 40, adisplay 41, a diffuser panel 42, and a cylindrical lens 43, as isillustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The mirror 38, filter 39, lens 40,display 41, panel 42 and lens 43 are arranged in the order mentioned, onthe optical axis of the body light L4 that has passed through the halfmirror 33. They constitute an optical system for processing the bodylight L4. The total reflection mirror 38 totally reflects the body lightL4. The spatial filter 39 is composed of a convex lens and a pinholemember. The collimator lens 40 converts the body light L4 to parallellight. The display 41 displays the image to be recorded. The diffuserpanel 42 diffuses the light coming through the display 41. Thecylindrical lens 43 focuses the body light L4 on the hologram-recordingmedium 30. Further, a mask 44 having a rectangular opening is providedin front of the medium 30.

First, the total reflection mirror 38 reflects the body light L4 thathas passed through the halfmirror 33. The spatial filter 39 changes thebody light L4 to diverging light. The collimator lens 40 converts thediverging light to parallel light, which is applied to the display 41.The display 41 is a transmission display such as a liquid crystaldisplay. When controlled by the control computer 2, the display 41displays the image represented by the image data D5. The image modulatesthe light passing through the display 41. The diffuser panel 42 diffusesthe light, which is applied to the cylindrical lens 43. The panel 42,which slightly diffuses the light from the display 41, serves to improvethe quality of the holographic stereogram.

The light emerging from the display 41 is applied to the cylindricallens 43. The lens 43 makes the light converge in a horizontal plane. Apart of the light thus processed passes through the rectangular openingof the mask 42 and is applied, as body light, to the hologram-recordingmedium 30. Thus, the light projected from the display 41 is applied tothe medium 30, in the form of a light beam that has a rectangular crosssection. More correctly, the body light is incident at almost rightangle to that surface of the medium 30, which faces away from thelight-introducing block 37.

In the optical system described above, the optical path of the referencelight been reflected by the half mirror 33 and applied to the medium 30through the light-introducing block 37 has almost the same length as theoptical path of the body light applied to the medium 30 through thedisplay 41 after passing through the half mirror 33. The reference lightcan interfere with the body light more than otherwise. This makes itpossible to prepare a holographic stereogram from which a clear imagemay be reproduced.

In the holographic stereogram printer 3, it is desired that a mechanismfor dripping index-matching liquid be provided between thelight-introducing block 37 and the hologram-recording medium 30, toachieve index matching for the block 37 and medium 30. For example, afoam-rubber block impregnated with index-matching liquid is arrangednear the position where the block 37 contacts the medium 30. Thus, everytime a hologram-recording medium 30 is set in place, the index-matchingliquid is applied from the foam-rubber block into the interface betweenthe medium 30 and the light-introducing block 37. Index matching isthereby accomplished between the light-introducing block 37 and thehologram-recording medium 30.

Generally, reference light and body light are applied to one surface ofa hologram-recording medium to prepare a transmitting holographicstereogram. To prepare a transmitting holographic stereogram of anedge-lit type, reference light must be applied through alight-introducing block to the same surface of the medium as body lightis applied. It is therefore necessary to arrange the light-introducingblock between the medium and the cylindrical lens that is provided tofocus the body light. However, the light-introducing block can hardly bearranged so, due to the limited space available.

In the holographic stereogram printer 3 described above, it suffices toapply the body light and the reference light to the opposing surfaces ofthe medium 30, respectively, in order to prepare a transmittingholographic stereogram of an edge-lit type. Thus, the cylindrical lens43 is located on one side of the medium 30, whereas thelight-introducing block 37 is arranged on the other side of the medium30, in spite of the limited space available in the holographicstereogram printer 3.

The hologram-recording medium 30 records a holographic stereogram fromwhich an image is reproduced not only by applying the light reflected bythe half mirror 33, but also by applying the light that has passedthrough the half mirror 33. Namely, as shown in FIG. 8, the referencelight La is totally reflected at the interface between the medium 30 andthe air. The pattern formed by interference between the light Lc totallyreflected and the body light Lb is recorded on the hologram-recordingmedium 30. Hence, a holographic stereogram from which an image can bereproduced by passing light through the medium 30 is recorded on themedium 30, too.

The medium-feeding mechanism 50 that is incorporated in the holographicstereogram printer 3 intermittently feeds the hologram-recording medium30, each time for a distance for one element hologram. The mechanism 50feeds the medium 30 in this specific way in accordance with a controlsignal supplied from the control computer 2. Rectangular images, i.e.,element holograms, are represented by the image data D4 generated from atrain of parallax images D3, are recorded one after another on thehologram-recording medium 30.

The system for preparing a holographic stereogram to be reproduced bythe image-reproducing apparatus 5 that is the first embodiment of theinvention has been described.

The second embodiment of the invention will be described, with referenceto FIGS. 9 and 10. The second embodiment is an image-reproducingapparatus, too. The second embodiment is designed to reproduce a hollowcylindrical holographic stereogram by using a holographic stereogram andan optical member, which are similar to those used in the firstembodiment.

To be more specific, an optical member 7 is bonded at its rear side 7 bto a holographic stereogram 6 of the type shown in FIG. 4, thus forminga unit 90 shown in FIG. 9. The unit 90 is bent, forming a hollowcylindrical holographic stereogram 91 of an edge-lit type, the innersurface of which is defined by the optical member 7. As shown in FIG.10, a light source 92 applies illumination light to a conical prism 93.The prism 93 converts the light to parallel light. The parallel light isapplied to the inner surface of the holographic stereogram 91 atincidence angle of 60°, thereby reproducing a 3-dimensional image.

In this apparatus, the holographic stereogram 6 and the optical member7, both being flat, are combined and bent into a hollow cylindricalholographic stereogram 91 of an edge-lit type. The light source 92applies illumination light to the conical prism 93, which converts thelight to parallel light. The parallel light is applied to the innersurface of the holographic stereogram 91 at an incidence angle of 60°. A3-dimensional image is thereby formed, which looks as if a real body isexisting in the hollow cylinder.

The third embodiment of the invention will be described, with referenceto FIGS. 11 and 12. The third embodiment is an image-reproducingapparatus, too. In the first embodiment, the illumination light 9emitted from the light source is applied to the holographic stereogram 6as is illustrated in FIG. 1. That is, the light 9 is applied to theupper, middle and lower parts 130, 131 and 132 of the holographicstereogram 6, at the uniform incidence angle of 60° with respect to thenormal H to the stereogram 6. Thus, the light 9 is applied to theoptical member 7′ at incidence angle of 30° (=90°−60°). By contrast, inthe third embodiment, the illumination light 134 is applied from thelight source 133 to the upper, middle and lower parts 130, 131 and 132of a holographic stereogram 6 at different incidence angles, as isillustrated in FIG. 12.

In many cases, the illumination light 134 emitted from the light source133 is not applied to the holographic stereogram 6 at an ideal incidenceangle. In view of this, the front side of the optical member 7 consistsof parallel triangular prisms that have incidence surface inclined atdifferent angels in accordance with the incidence angles at which theillumination light is applied to the upper, middle and lower parts 130,131 and 132 of the holographic stereogram 6.

As shown in FIG. 12, the illumination light 134 may define an angle of30° with respect to the middle part 131 of the stereogram 6. In thiscase, the angle A between the light 134 and the upper part 130 of thestereogram 6 is smaller than 30°, and the angle B between the light 134and the lower part 132 is greater than 30°. The incidence surfaces ofthe triangular prisms on the front side of the optical member 7′ areinclined at different angles that accord with the different incidenceangles at which the light 134 is applied to the upper, middle and lowerparts 130, 131 and 132 of the stereogram 6. Hence, the third embodimentcan reproduce 3-dimensional image of high quality in many cases.

The fourth embodiment of this invention will be described, which is animage-reproducing apparatus, too. In the fourth embodiment, aholographic stereogram and an optical member, both being identical tothose used in the third embodiment, are bent into a hollow cylindricalholographic stereogram of edge-lit type. This stereogram is used toreproduce a 3-dimensional image.

With the fourth embodiment it is unnecessary to convert the illuminationlight emitted from the light source to parallel light that is to beapplied to the holographic stereogram at an incidence angle of, forexample, 60°. Therefore, there is no need to use such a conical prism asis used in the second embodiment. The fourth embodiment can yet form a3-dimensional image that looks as if a real body were existing in thehollow cylinder.

The fifth embodiment of the invention will be described, with referenceto FIGS. 13 and 14. This embodiment is also an apparatus 140 forreproducing a 3-dimensional image from a holographic stereogram. In thefifth embodiment, parallel triangular prisms are provided on only a partof the optical member, not on the entire optical member as in the firstembodiment as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 11.

More precisely, as shown in FIG. 13, the apparatus 140 has a holographicstereogram 141 and an optical member 143. The optical member 143 isbonded at its rear side to the holographic stereogram 141. The opticalmember 143 has parallel triangular prisms 142 on the lower part of itsfront side. Illumination light 146 is applied to the triangular prisms142 to form a 3-dimensional image.

The triangular prisms 142 have an incidence surface each, to which theillumination light is applied at right angle. The prisms 142 may havethe same incidence angle as in the first embodiment. Alternatively, theymay have different incidence angles as in the third embodiment.

The optical member 143 has a light-guiding section 145 for guiding theillumination light 146. The illumination light 146 therefore travelsthrough the light-guiding section 145 while being reflected. The light146 then passes through the holographic stereogram 141. While passingthrough the stereogram 141, the illumination light 146 interferes withthe light diffracted in the stereogram 141. A 3-dimensional image isthereby reproduced from the stereogram 141.

The outer surface 144 of the light-guiding section 145 is tinted black.Alternatively, a black sheet may be adhered to the outer surface 144 ofthe light-guiding section 145. The lower part of the optical member 143is exposed at the inner surface 147 that lies behind the prisms 142.

In the apparatus 140, the illumination light 146 applied to the prisms142 passes through the optical member 143, while being totally reflectedtherein, as is illustrated in FIG. 14. Thereafter, the illuminationlight 146 interferes with the light 149 diffracted as it passes throughthe holographic stereogram 141. Therefore, an observer 150 can see a3-dimensional image.

The sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Thesixth embodiment is also an apparatus for reproducing a 3-dimensionalimage from a holographic stereogram. In the sixth embodiment, aholographic stereogram and an optical member, both being identical tothose used in the fifth embodiment, are bent into a hollow cylindricalholographic stereogram of edge-lit type. The stereogram thus made isused to reproduce a 3-dimensional image.

In the first to sixth embodiments, an optical member is bonded to aholographic stereogram. Alternatively, the optical member may be bondedto a hologram, so that a 3-dimensional image may be reproduced from thehologram.

The image-reproducing apparatus according to this invention is notlimited to one having a hologram or a holographic stereogram thatrecords a 3-dimensional image. Rather, the present invention can beapplied to one having a hologram or a holographic stereogram thatrecords a 2-dimensional image.

1. An image-reproducing apparatus for reproducing an image from a hologram or a holographic stereogram, in which are recorded either 2-dimensional image data or 3-dimensional image data, wherein: an optical member having parallel prisms on a part of a front surface is bonded at the rear surface to the hologram or holographic stereogram, and illumination light is applied to the parallel prisms, in order to reproduce a 2- or 3-dimensional image from the hologram or holographic stereogram, the illumination light is applied to incident surfaces of the parallel prisms at a fixed incidence angle, the optical member has a light-guiding section for guiding the illumination light from the parallel prisms, while reflecting the illumination light, the hologram or holographic stereogram and the optical member bonded thereto are bent, forming a hollow cylinder, the inner surface of which is defined by the front surface of the optical member, and the illumination light is applied to an inner surface of the hollow cylinder, thereby reproducing a 2- or 3-dimensional image from the hologram or holographic stereogram, and the light-guiding section is tinted black at least at a part of an outer surface. 